


Heat 4

by Ionah



Category: Smallville
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-09-28
Updated: 2002-09-28
Packaged: 2017-11-01 05:37:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/352586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ionah/pseuds/Ionah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Heat 3. Trouble in paradise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heat 4

## Heat 4

by Ionah

* * *

Special thanks go to my betas: Solace, Jenni, and Mary Ellen. All remaining mistakes are mine, simply because I'm stubborn and don't always follow their suggestions. 

Heat 4  
by Ionah 

<><><><><><><>

Clark did not want to leave. He rubbed his palms along Lex's shins, and then to the inside, over Lex's smooth, hard calves. He noted the paler skin of Lex's legs as they hugged the outside of Clark's own tanned thighs, and he wished he could step out of his body, away from the bed, and just watch. 

Clark wanted to _see_ Lex's arms wrapped around him, his own head resting back on Lex's shoulder. He wanted to see his mouth lightly nipping at Lex's jaw, and his tongue darting out every so often to taste the flavor of Lex's skin. But the ability to instigate an out-of-body experience wasn't one of his alien gifts, so Clark made do with savoring, slowly, all of those things from the only place he could -- in Lex's arms. 

Lex rubbed his palms over Clark's chest, brushing across his nipples. Clark gave a small gasp, and arched into the touch. " _Lex_ , that...they're really sensitive." 

"You like it." 

"I _love_ it." 

"Some guys don't, you know." 

"Really? Do you?" 

"I'll let you discover for yourself next time. By the way, what's with the licking?" 

"I don't know. You taste good. _Really_ good." 

"Certain parts of my body taste even better." 

Clark smiled smugly. "I know." 

It was quiet for a few minutes, as Clark thought really hard about getting up and going home, but he never quite worked up the motivation to move. 

Lex spoke. "What else did your mother say to you today?" 

Clark sighed and pressed a final kiss to Lex's cheek before answering. "She said we've got to adjust, learn how to be equals." 

"Adjust, how? We share a fucking telepathic bond, for God's sake. Under the best circumstances, I'm not too fond of sharing my thoughts." 

"Yeah, well, you should get used to it. We don't have a choice." 

"Maybe I should have someone take a look at that device in your--" 

"No!" Clark jerked away from Lex's body, turned and stared at him. "I won't be a research subject, of any kind. Ever. Not even for you." 

Lex frowned and raised his hands, palms out. "I don't want to study you, Clark, I want to help you, protect you. But I can't do that if--" 

"I'm not stupid, Lex. I know what's going on in your head. You're already making plans." 

"Plans to protect you in case someone discovers your secret. Is there something wrong with that?" 

Clark felt the truth of Lex's words, but he also knew Lex was holding something back. "Those aren't the only plans you're making, Lex." 

"I'm not planning to dissect you, if that's what you're worried about, Clark." Lex reached out and ran his hands over Clark's chest, a half-smile curving one corner of his lips. "Besides, Clark, your body..." Lex's fingers trailed up Clark's neck and brushed across Clark's cheeks, temples, and forehead to curl in Clark's hair. "...is perfect. Why would I want to mess that up?" 

"Lex..." Clark muttered breathlessly. 

Lex stared into Clark's eyes and continued, "But whatever happens down the road, happens to both of us. You're not the only one who has to be concerned with what that thing in your head might do to you." 

Clark knew that. The thought of what might happen to Lex seemed embedded in his brain like the meteor dust had been embedded in Earl's skin. They would learn to respect each other's right to think and do his own thing, or they would be enemies -- not exactly something Clark aspired to be with the only person who'd always treated him as a cherished friend, respected his opinions even when it was obvious he didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about, and tried to protect him and his family at every turn. "As long as you don't try to control my thoughts, we'll be fine. I don't see how that's a problem." 

"Well..." Lex gave a mocking smile. "I like to maintain a certain influence over--" 

... _Everything._... 

"--things that could have consequences for my future." Lex's tone was light, but to Clark, the words were damning. Lex clearly hadn't accepted the seriousness of the threat from the device in Clark's head. 

Lex's voice interrupted Clark's dark thoughts. "Clark?" 

"Yeah?" 

"If you're still planning to leave soon, it might be a good idea for you to quit petting my dick." 

* * *

Lex watched as Clark yanked his hand from where it had been slowly stroking Lex's cock. It wasn't that Lex hadn't been enjoying the sensation, but there was no reason for him to have to deal with a half-hard dick once Clark was gone. 

Clark's face flushed, and Lex wondered why he experienced such a thrill from embarrassing Clark. Maybe it was because Clark was so damn sexy when that schoolboy blush crept up his neck and filled his cheeks with fiery color. Lex had always been partial to that particular look, although over the past two days, he had undeniably discovered a taste for Clark's more aggressive looks. 

But no amount of distraction could stop the questions that kept playing through Lex's mind. For God's sake, he was propped up on his bed, with his alien _mate_ seated between his thighs, talking about their telepathic bond. Lex had been obsessively curious about Clark from the moment they had met, and this was the closest he had ever come to uncovering the many secrets that Clark and his family hid -- although not quite so well as they should, but they had managed to keep Clark's alien origin a secret. 

Lex wanted answers, needed them. "So, Clark, you're invulnerable. I assume you've had the opportunity to learn this for a fact? Say, like when I ran into you with my Porsche and knocked you off the bridge?" 

"Yeah. Something like that." 

"Exactly like that. And the top of my car, Clark?" 

"I don't think--" 

"Oh, Clark, but you do. I can feel it. You want to tell me. You don't like lying to me any more than I like hearing your lies. So why not tell me the truth? It looks as if we're going to have a long future together, Clark. Let's try to rebuild the foundation with a little honesty." 

Lex stroked his fingers over Clark's thighs, drawing invisible lines back and forth across Clark's flesh, and the thoughts he'd been carefully trying to shield slipped out before he could stop them. ... _Come on, Clark, I need you to tell me the truth here, it hurts knowing you don't trust me, too many lies, always too many._... 

Clark seemed to freeze within Lex's embrace. "I want to...It's just that... _Lex_. I'm not ready for this conversation." 

"But I am." 

Clark pulled away from Lex, who let his arms drop from around Clark's chest and rested his hands on top of his knees. Clark looked to the side, his expression pensive, troubled. "I have to go home." 

"What are you afraid of?" ... _Tell me, Clark, I can feel your fear, it's okay, you can trust me, love you._... 

Clark turned and stared hard at Lex, his brow furrowed, his lips pressed together, his breath coming harsher and faster by the second. 

Lex tried to push against Clark's mind, to find a way in, to discover the answers to his questions himself. But Clark closed down tight. Apparently, Clark had no intention of letting Lex anywhere near his thoughts. 

Lex's throat tightened with frustration, hurt, and anger. Clark didn't trust him, wouldn't share his secrets, not yet, and Lex didn't know if he was prepared to wait for Clark to change his mind. Lex relaxed against the headboard, raised his arms and leaned his head back on his hands, then stared up at the high ceiling. There had to be an easier way to get what he wanted. 

"If I were you, Lex, I wouldn't try it again." 

Lex jerked at Clark's cold tone, startled that Clark had followed his thoughts so easily. He would have to work on hiding-- 

"I can read your thoughts easier than you can read mine," Clark said, with a wolfish grin that made Lex think that he might be rubbing off on Clark a little too much. "It's going to be harder for you to shut me out if I want in and easier for me to--" 

Lex's expression tightened and he pushed Clark to the side to scramble out from behind him. "This had better not be something else you've fucking lied to me about!" 

"--change your mind, but I won't, I swear!" 

Lex's mouth twisted. "Oh, that's great. Just fucking great. Care to tell me why the hell you have such an advantage over me?" 

"I guess I'm just made for this and you aren't. I think...I think that you're sharing my link, that _we_ aren't really linked together so much as I'm linked to you, and thoughts and feelings can travel both ways through the link." 

"If that's true, then why the hell are you so worried about me controlling your mind? Sounds like I should be the one concerned about the fucking mind control." 

"Because it might be easier for me, but you're the one used to doing whatever it takes to get what you want. And don't try to tell me that you don't play mind games on a regular basis, because I won't believe you. I _know_ you do." 

"That doesn't make me feel better about this, Clark." 

"How about the fact that you think too much? You'd drive me crazy if I spent more than a few minutes at a time in that...that...labyrinth of a brain you have." 

"That makes almost as much sense as us being mated." Lex shook his head and sighed. Clark didn't understand that being Lionel Luthor's son may have had its advantages, but those advantages had come at a terrible price. And for the first time, Lex had thought he might be starting out a relationship -- however weird it was -- on equal footing, only to have that belief proved false. 

"Trust me. I don't know if it's only you, or if it's all humans, but you just plain _feel_ too much. It's almost scary." 

Lex's eyebrows rose imperiously. "I have no doubts that I'm far more intelligent than the average human. It stands to reason that certain aspects of my mental processes might be...unique." 

"God, I hope so. I'd hate to think the whole world is full of people like..." Clark trailed off, his eyes wide, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead. 

Lex sat still as a stone. 

"Uh, that didn't come out right, Lex. I swear I'm not trying to insult you." 

"Nevertheless, you're doing an admirable job of it." 

"God, Lex, I'm sorry." Clark leaned forward and mashed his mouth to Lex's, kissing him until Lex's lips softened under his, parted, and let Clark's tongue into the recesses of his mouth. The kiss was an apology, but it was also an affirmation of how Clark felt about him, and Lex appreciated the effort Clark put into it. 

When they broke apart to breathe, Clark said, "You _are_ unique, you know." 

Lex pulled back slightly. "I know." The corner of his mouth turned up, and he continued, "But I have nothing on you, Clark. You have the tightest asshole this side of the galaxy." 

... _Shit, that's mean._... But Clark laughed, and the tension of the past few moments dissipated. 

* * *

Clark would have loved to stay with Lex, but he knew his parents would be waiting for him at home, if only to make sure he had made it through another day at school with his secrets intact. 

As they stood there beside the bed, Clark dressed, Lex still nude, Lex grabbed Clark's ass, squeezing hard, and Clark thought that if he'd been human, it would have probably hurt, but as it was, it suited his mood perfectly. He kissed Lex hard on the mouth, grinding their lips together, collecting Lex's taste on his tongue, and savoring the flavor that belonged only to Lex. ... _So good._... 

Lex didn't seem to mind the rough treatment. He groaned and pressed closer. ... _I know._... 

Clark left before they really had a chance to work anything out. But, hey, they'd had sex, and right then that seemed important to Clark. He worried about how he would cope that night, since the moment he stepped outside the mansion, he felt a driving need to go back inside, find Lex, grab him, hold him, and never let him go. 

Clark was getting used to the tingling heat that shot through his abdomen, into his groin, and caused his cock to harden painfully. He knew it was his body's way of telling him that he shouldn't leave Lex. For one thing, _he_ hadn't had the chance to fuck _Lex_ this time. He almost turned around and went back before he realized what was happening. Shit, maybe Lex had been right to say he was like a dog in heat. 

Clark resisted his body's urgings, and after a quick look around to make sure no one was watching, he ran home. 

Hungry, he grabbed a glass of milk and an apple, and then headed towards his room. 

His mom's voice stopped him. "Clark, you had a few calls. Actually, more like a dozen. Is there something going on at school that I should know about?" 

"Huh?" Clark's voice cracked. "A _dozen_ phone calls? Who?" 

"Well, let's see. There was Lana, twice, and Chloe, three times, and then Whitney, and somebody named Tiffany, then Sheri, Andrea, Heather, Tony, and Mark. That's it, I think..." She looked down again at the piece of paper in her right hand. "Oh, and Pete, so I guess it was actually a baker's dozen." She looked up at him, wide-eyed, and Clark knew she was waiting for an explanation, but he didn't have one to give her. 

Thirteen telephone calls, and shit, he didn't even recognize all the names. 

Just then, the phone rang. His mother sighed. "Why don't you get that, hon?" 

Clark walked slowly to the phone, almost afraid to answer. "Hello," he said tentatively. 

"Clark?" 

"Uh, yeah, who's this?" 

"Tracy...you know, from the basketball team." She said it as if it was a given that he would recognize her name, and of course, he did. But that didn't mean he had any idea why she would be calling him. 

"Oh, okay. Uh--" Clark caught his mother's curious gaze on him. He raised his eyebrows and shrugged, then mouthed _Tracy_. "I, uh--" 

"I wondered if you wanted to go to a movie with me this weekend...or sometime, anytime really." 

Clark was...speechless. _Tracy_ , high school senior, women's all-state basketball player, wanted to go to a movie with _him_? Why did he feel like there was something innately wrong with that scenario? "Uh," he finally said. "I'm, uh, kind of...seeing someone." 

His mother heard him. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. 

"Is it Chloe Sullivan? Someone told me they'd seen you kissing her last night. She isn't right for you, you know." 

Clark felt a sudden, unexplained surge of irritation. ... _No fucking shit._... Lex's thought intruded on the conversation, and Clark almost dropped the phone. 

"What?" 

"I said, Chloe isn't right for you." 

"No, I wasn't talking--Never mind, I've got to go." He hung up before Tracy had time to say anything else. He had to get to his room. His mother was already looking at him strangely, and Clark wasn't ready to share his problems with his parents yet. He planned to wait until after supper, or right before bed, or maybe until--No, he wasn't going to wait until tomorrow. He would do it tonight, sometime. Tell them about the device in his head, ask their advice, and hope they could help him through this somehow. 

... _Clark, are you listening to me?_... 

... _I wasn't, am now._... 

... _Fuck, your thoughts are almost as clear as my own, can feel you, quit panicking, whatever it is can't be that bad, wonder why it's getting stronger?_... 

Clark said the first thing that popped into his head. "Because we're fucking more." 

At his mother's loudly gasped, "Clark Kent!" he realized he'd spoken out loud. _Oh, shit._ He'd just said the f-word in front of his mother. He wanted to sink into the ground, use his super-speed and run away, never show his face again. 

He felt a spark of laughter build in his chest, but it wasn't really coming from him. ... _Priceless, I'd love to see that look._... 

... _Oh, fuck you, Lex._... 

... _Now isn't a good time, but later, sure, besides, I think you have a problem right now, leave you to it. Something unexpected has come up, it's important, so I have to go to Metropolis, day, maybe two, be back soon, wanted you to know in case you decided to sneak back to the mansion tonight._... 

And Lex was gone from his mind, their on again, off again connection becoming more easily controlled all the time. Soon, Clark figured, the adjustment period would be over, and then what? He could only hope that things stayed as they were now, pretty much even between the two of them. Although he could sense that the link was stronger on his end, he wasn't nearly as apt to do anything about it, whereas Lex would take advantage at the first opportunity, even if he didn't realize that was what he was doing. 

The phone rang. And rang again. 

"Clark, I don't know what's happening with you, but I've never heard you talk like that, and I'd like an explanation." 

The phone kept ringing. 

"Uh, aren't you going to get that? It might be--" 

"For you. Whoever it is can wait. We need to have a serious talk." 

"Aw, mom, not now. _Please_. I'm really sorry about--" 

"No, Clark, I think your father and I have already been patient enough. Something happened to you last night. And now you're acting like...not like yourself. Not like yourself at all. I'm going to get your father, and then we're going to sit down and discuss this." 

Clark stared in horror as his mother left the room, her stride purposeful and determined. Shit! He _really_ didn't want to talk to both of them. He'd kind of had this idea that he could just sit down with his mom and tell her, and then let her tell dad, because shit, dad was _not_ going to be happy to find out his son was having sex with Lex Luthor. 

... _Shit, Lex, why did you have to swallow? This is all your fault._... 

And what Clark got back was indignation, and something that sounded an awful lot like a snort in his head. 

* * *

Sitting at the kitchen table, Clark tried his best to maintain eye contact with his parents, but he knew he'd failed when he kept noticing the tic beside his father's right eye and the lines of worry on his mother's forehead. Clark stayed silent as he tried to come up with the best explanation he could for what he'd been going though for the last two days. 

"Clark, we're your parents," Martha said. "We have to know what you're going through if we're going to be able to help you. Have you developed a new ability?" 

"Honesty's always the best policy, Son." 

Simple, but probably the easiest way to start the conversation he really didn't want to have right now. "I'm going through puberty." 

Clark's parents looked at him like he was crazy. "Of course you're going through puberty, Son, you're a teenager. All teenagers--" 

"Maybe I should say it like this," Clark paused, glanced away, then back, cleared his throat, and then continued, "I'm reaching sexual maturity." 

His father's eyebrows drew together and his mouth opened, but then he shut it and looked to Martha as if to say, you ask. 

"What do you mean, Clark? I know I haven't...um...looked lately or anything, but you've always seemed perfectly normal to me, you know, down there, developing at the same pace as all the other kids." 

Clark sighed, then admitted, "Not really." 

Jonathan leaned forward on his forearms, clasping his hands in front of him. "What do you mean, Son?" 

"I...uh, never really had the same...urges...as the other guys. I would get...oh, God, I don't know how to tell you guys this, that's why I never said anything." 

Martha reached forward and put her left hand on his arm, patting him, trying to offer comfort and reassurance. "It's okay, sweetheart, nothing you say is going to change the fact that we love you." 

"I know, it's just so...so embarrassing to talk about this stuff with you two." 

"Son...come on, tell us," Jonathan said. "Putting it off isn't going to make it go away." 

Clark decided it might be easier if he said it as fast as he could, got it all out at once. "I would get erections, but I never had any urges to do anything about it. I mean, I tried to, uh...masturbate a couple of times, just to see, but nothing ever happened, and so I just thought, I don't know what I thought, I just ignored it. Then, last night, I was standing there, watching the bonfire, and...and..." God, he was _not_ telling them that his first true sexual urge ever had been caused by Whitney Fordman. "And somebody walked by and suddenly...suddenly, I was on _fire_ and I wanted to have sex with everybody." 

When he stopped speaking, it was to notice that his parents were sitting there staring at him, silent, apparently speechless. 

And then his mother said, "So...you made a lot of dates at school today?" 

Clark's face heated with a flush of utter embarrassment. "No! I tried to stay away from everybody, but people just kept looking at me, staring, being really, _really_ friendly. And Lana told me she broke up with Whitney, and Chloe keeps wanting to talk to me about that kiss last night, and I...I...I'm starting to feel like I'm in heat or something." 

Jonathan rubbed his right hand over his face. "And all this started last night? No warning signs that something like this was about to happen or anything like that?" 

"None, or at least, not any that I noticed. It just...happened." 

Martha and Jonathan shared another look that Clark could only describe as confused. Martha finally said, "So, do you still want to, uh, have sex with _everybody_?" 

Now came the hard part. "No, not really. I only want one person now, and...and..." 

"Is it Chloe? Or Lana? What you blurted out earlier made us think you were--" Martha cleared her throat and clasped Jonathan's hand in a fierce right-handed grip. "--having sex...with someone." 

Clark crossed his arms and plopped them on the tabletop, then dropped his head so he wouldn't have to see his parents' faces. "I am. But it isn't Chloe. Or Lana. Or any other girl from school. It's Lex. I went home with Lex, attacked him in his car, and...and...I had sex with _him_." 

Jonathan jerked back from the table and was on his feet in an instant. At the abrupt, violent movement, his chair tipped over and slammed backwards onto the floor. "Dammit, you had sex with...with... _Lex Luthor_?" 

"Oh, my God, Clark." Clark cringed at the sound of total shock in his mother's voice. He'd expected that, but it was still hard to deal with. 

"Yeah," Clark said quietly. "I thought that might be how you guys felt." He raised his head and gave his parents a look of sorrow. "But there's more. Much, much more." 

His mother reached for him again, curling her fingers around his forearm and holding on tight. "Clark, oh God, Clark, you didn't...didn't rape him, did you?" 

"No!" he yelled, jerking back and nearly toppling his own chair, and himself, onto the floor. "No," he said more calmly. Then admitted, "But I might have, if he hadn't wanted--" Clark stopped, deciding that might not be the best place to go right now. "He let me, and even now, after...everything, he's still my friend. That means something. He wants to help me. He's always trying to help me out, you guys know that." 

"God, Son," his dad said roughly. "He's always trying to buy your friendship, that's what he's always doing. You're more responsible than this. You've never--Why the hell didn't you tell us what was going on last night before it got so out of control? With your abilities, you could have hurt someone. And I won't have my son--" Jonathan seemed to lose his train of thought as he paced across the floor, running his hands through his hair with jerky, rough movements. "My God, my son is...is..." Jonathan stopped and looked around blankly. "That bastard, he should never have let you-- I _knew_ he had an ulterior motive for being your friend, he's been after you all along, in one way or another." 

"Dad!" 

"Jonathan, you're not being rational about this. I don't think--" 

"Dammit, Martha, you've seen the way that boy looks at Clark. You know I'm right." 

"We were never more than friends until now! Never!" Clark knew he would never tell his dad that he was right, that Lex had been making passes at him, passes that he'd chosen to ignore in order to preserve their friendship since he'd never thought he would be interested in Lex _that way_ , never thought he would find himself turned on by a man. His sudden catapult into puberty had changed everything. 

Jonathan's eyes glittered, and Clark wondered if he wasn't about to see his dad cry, but Jonathan didn't. Instead, he sucked in a harsh breath, and then demanded, "Couldn't it have been _anyone_ else?" 

Jonathan didn't really sound like he expected an answer, but Clark felt a spurt of anger at his dad's tone. "Yeah, it could've been. Right then, just before Lex walked up, I had this crazy urge to grab Mom and run off with her. I could've done that, I guess." 

Martha's eyes widened, her hand on his arm twitched, but then her mouth tightened and she deliberately left her hand where it was. He probably shouldn't have said that, felt bad that he hadn't kept that bit of information to himself, but sometimes his dad knew just what to say to upset him. Her action reassured Clark. His mother wasn't disgusted with him, didn't blame him for something he appeared to have no control over, seemed to know that it would devastate Clark if she suddenly couldn't stand to touch him anymore. 

Because what really mattered was that Martha Kent was his mother. 

Clark didn't wait for his parents to say anything in reaction to his newest confession. He continued, "When you came after me last night at Lex's, when I fell, it was because I have a device implanted in my head that let me talk to my...my alien mother. She told me some stuff, and--and you know what? I think I'm lucky it ended up being Lex. He'll do whatever it takes to make sure nobody else finds out about me being an alien, and--" 

"You don't know that. Lex Luthor is nothing but a spoiled rich kid used to getting what he wants. He's loyal only to himself, Son." 

"That's not true!" Clark smacked his palm flat on the table. The wood creaked, and Clark sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just that I know he cares about me, even if you don't believe it. I _know_ he does." 

Jonathan stared at Clark like he was a stranger. It was one of the harshest looks he'd ever been on the receiving end of from his dad. Clark looked away, unable to stand the disappointment in his father's eyes. Sometimes it was so hard to live up to Jonathan Kent's expectations. Worth the effort most of the time, but so hard. 

"It's okay, sweetheart. You're under a lot of stress right now." 

"I--" 

... _No shit, we both are._... 

"--am." 

... _Lex! Trying to have an important conversation here, go away._... 

... _Just wanted to remind you that anything you say about me can and will be held against you._... 

... _Oh, God, don't make me laugh, shut up._... 

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" 

"It's just--apparently, I have this chemical in my body, and when I have sex, if that person absorbs the chemical, it creates some kind of...of _mating_ bond -- a telepathic link." Clark said the next for Lex's benefit. "So of course, I've got this lunatic popping in whenever he feels like--" 

" _Lex_ ," Jonathan muttered. He aimed a dark look at Clark, as if Lex could see him through Clark's eyes. 

... _Clark, I thought your opinion of me was higher than that._... 

"Yeah, Dad. Lex. And he doesn't seem to think it's impolite to eavesdrop." 

... _Good one, Clark, you're forgetting who started playing around in whose head first._... 

"Clark?" His mother's voice was strained. "Does he know--" 

Clark threw his hand up between them to stall her words while in his own mind, he slammed down on his mental link with Lex. "Some of it. But I can't think about it, or he'll pick up on it. And I'm not ready to--" 

Jonathan leaned forward over the table, holding himself up with his hands, interrupting. "You don't really trust him anymore, do you? Now that you know what's really going on in his head." 

The satisfaction in Jonathan's voice worried Clark. He'd been going to say that he wasn't ready to burden Lex with the knowledge of just how weird his alien mate really was, but his dad had taken his words to mean something else entirely. He started to correct his dad, but Lex managed to push into his thoughts just then. 

... _Still there? What the hell, Clark, what happened? What are you trying to hide from me?_... A wave of fury swept through Clark, and he gasped, closed his eyes, and focused every ounce of mental capacity he had on keeping Lex out. 

Then he felt something he'd felt only occasionally in his life, when around the meteor rocks and for the short time when he'd been almost human after his powers had transferred to Eric Summers. The sensation started in Lex's body and swept along the link they shared and settled in the knuckles of Clark's left hand. 

He stared down at his perfectly normal looking hand as it throbbed and ached. But it wasn't _his_ hand that ached at all. 

What had Lex done, tried to put his fist through a wall? 

Clark clenched his fist and the phantom pain disappeared as his brain refocused on the signals from his own body. And he realized with horror that he didn't only share feelings and thoughts with Lex. He also shared pain -- _human_ pain -- which was, not surprisingly, quite different from his own body's definition of that particular sensation. 

... _Oh shit oh shit oh shit._... 

... _Clark, are you okay? What's wrong? Shit, you're having a fucking panic attack._... 

And really, he was. He closed his eyes and tried desperately to block out everything. 

* * *

When Clark opened his eyes, he was still in the kitchen, albeit on the floor, where he had stumbled to wait for unconsciousness. But it hadn't happened. He guessed, no matter how he felt, that he couldn't really do the hyperventilating thing everyone expected. 

He felt worry radiating from Lex, and saw worry in his parents' eyes. His father was crouched beside him, and his mother sat on the floor on his other side. Her arms were wrapped around him, offering what comfort they could. 

Which wasn't much, considering he'd just realized that through Lex, he was vulnerable. Maybe not in a purely physical sense, but he was now vulnerable to the feeling of human pain, would probably be vulnerable to that feeling for the rest of Lex's -- or his -- life, at least until he learned to control it. And he hated it. 

It was one thing to know that the meteor rocks hurt, but this, this was something else entirely. Although the meteor rocks caused him excruciating pain, it was...different, and once he was far enough away, there were no lingering effects -- the pain was gone, just like that. 

The idea that Lex could channel his pain to Clark was scary -- even if it was unintentional. It wasn't something Clark was prepared to handle. Not now, maybe not ever. And Clark knew that if Lex found out, he could use it against him -- a strong possibility, because beneath the faade Lex showed the world, hid a man who tended to lash out when angry, frustrated, or hurt. Clark knew with absolute certainty that it wasn't something Lex was proud of, but it also wasn't something Lex held much control over. Which might explain his need to control everything else. 

... _Clark, damn you, answer me, I don't like this, you're upset, putting me on edge._... 

... _I'm fine, Lex, I'm fine._... 

... _You don't feel fine from here._... 

"What's going on, Son?" 

... _Lex, please, I need some privacy._... 

Clark felt frustration, and resignation and then, ... _I don't like secrets, Clark, but I'll leave you alone, for now._... 

... _Thank you._... 

... _So fucking polite_... 

"I'm sorry," Clark said to his parents as he got to his feet. "I'm sorry, I just want to be alone for a while, okay? I'll go check the fence or something." 

He left his mom and dad alone in the kitchen, with more than a few unanswered questions, and as he stepped off the porch, he could hear the ringing of the phone once again. 

* * *

Clark avoided talking to his parents until after supper. Then, he sat down in the chair in the living room and told them everything he knew about the link between him and Lex. He put off telling them the most important part, at least what he thought was the most important part, until the end. 

"It's permanent," he said. 

His mom's face was drawn into tight lines of worry and sadness, as if she knew exactly what he meant. His dad, on the other hand, looked confused, disappointed, and still more than a little angry. 

"The bond between Lex and me, it won't end unless...until one of us dies. My, uh, alien mother implied that that's the only way to break it. It's not just a stage I'm going through, I won't outgrow it. Eventually, I'll have to tell Lex everything. I can't keep that many secrets from him for that long." 

Jonathan scrubbed viciously at his forehead. "Look, Son, you don't need to tell Lex Luthor anything more than he already knows. You need to stay away from him. Until we know more about this--" 

"You don't understand, Dad. I can't do that. I...my body doesn't like it when I stay away from him for too long. It starts burning, and...and..." Clark stopped talking. He wasn't about to tell his dad that he got a killer erection whenever he started thinking about Lex. 

"Clark, you need to fight this thing and stay away from Lex--" 

Clark surged to his feet. "Don't you get it? I'm trying to tell you, I can't stay away from him! I don't _want_ to stay away from him!" He looked to his mother for assistance. "Mom..." 

But Martha shrugged, smiling regretfully, somewhat sadly, and Clark was sure that even though she didn't speak up, she agreed with his dad. 

Clark stared at both his parents, then turned his head away to stare toward the wall. He swallowed and closed his eyes, realizing that his parents weren't trying to hurt him, that they were only worried. "I'm sorry," he said, "but this is something I don't have any control over, and I can't say what you want to hear. I can't stay away from Lex. I don't even want to." 

Clark turned to walk from the room. His dad's voice stopped him. 

"I know this goes against everything I've ever tried to teach you, Son, but I don't want to see you get hurt. If that means you have to...well, I'd rather see you win this thing, Clark. You're my son. I won't let Lex Luthor destroy you." Jonathan's voice had never sounded so coldly determined. 

Clark strode from the room, his clenched fists held tight to his sides. 

* * *

Clark tried to push thoughts of the talk with his parents from his mind, and once in bed, he finally succeeded. His mind turned to Lex. 

Immediately, he felt a tingling flash of heat and need. To keep his mind away from the fact that he was alone, when he really didn't want to be, he thought about what they'd done that afternoon, focusing his complete attention on mentally reliving the unique experience of having Lex fuck him. As he closed his eyes and relived the feeling of Lex's cock up his ass, he couldn't stop the sudden surge of heat in his belly or the hardening of his cock. 

He gave in to the urge to wrap his hand around his dick. He held his flesh in a firm grip, and the mostly unfamiliar sensation of having his own hand on his cock in this way felt... _nice_. Nothing like having Lex's hands on him, or Lex's hot, wet mouth wrapped around him, or the feeling of being buried in Lex's tight ass -- Oh, God, he wanted to do that again, even more than he wanted Lex to fuck him again. 

When he pulled his hand slowly up his cock, toward the head, he realized, in its own way, it felt better than _nice_. He shifted to get more comfortable. His hand tightened, sped up, and he realized _nice_ was nowhere near how good it felt to pump his cock in his fist. 

When that heated tingle intensified and shot through his entire body, he muttered, "Oh, shit." No wonder people did this. He began thrusting into his hand, roughly, his rhythm jerky, his grunts surely audible if anyone came near the door to his bedroom. 

... _Clark, now is not a good time for this._... 

Clark jerked, squeezing a little too hard. "Ow!" 

... _Fuck, I felt that, watch it, in a late meeting here._... 

... _Fine, Lex, can't even masturbate, you'd better get your ass back here soon, need you, want you._... 

From the rush of feeling Clark picked up on, it was obvious Lex agreed with Clark's sentiment even if Lex didn't comment on it. 

Clark, frustrated beyond belief, turned over and tried desperately to go to sleep despite his throbbing, tingling dick. 

* * *

The unplanned trip to Metropolis had, so far, gone well. Lex was certain by eleven-thirty that night that he would be on his way home in the morning, and would, by the next afternoon, be ready to see Clark, ready for a long session of fucking, ready to hold and be held by him and then drag from him the reason why he'd flipped out earlier. 

Clark's thoughts weren't bleeding through quite as much as they had at the beginning, and although Lex was pleased with that, he also considered that it might mean Clark was deliberately blocking him out as much as he could. An unpleasant prospect, surprisingly, since Lex had been doing his best to keep what he was doing from seeping through to Clark. 

And he succeeded until Danielle started running her hands over his chest and unbuttoning his shirt. 

... _Aw, Lex, woke me up. Shit, what the hell are you doing?_... 

The mental scream really shouldn't have been quite so unexpected, Lex decided, as he winced and jerked backwards. Danielle's lips neatly missed connecting with his, landing firmly on his jaw instead. They both stumbled, with Danielle catching herself at the last minute with her palm on the top of Lex's spacious desk, her lithe body draped over his, and Lex leaning back uncomfortably on his elbows. 

... _Better not lay one finger on her._... 

Danielle seemed to like her new position, and instead of straightening back up, she caged Lex to the desk with an arm on each side of his waist, and started nuzzling her face against the fine fabric of his partially unbuttoned shirt. "Uhmm," she murmured breathily. 

... _What's she doing? I can't believe you're letting her touch you._... 

... _Trying to close a deal here._... 

... _You said you wouldn't fuck anybody else, you lied to me._... 

... _No! Just business, I have no intention of fucking her, only you, Clark, only you, I promise._... 

... _Then what the hell are you doing?_... 

... _She expects it, that's all, won't let it go too far._... 

And Clark's thought came through loud and clear, strong enough to send a dagger of pain slicing through the back of Lex's head, as sharp as a blow. ... _Already gone too far!_... 

"Fuck!" Lex put his arms on Danielle's shoulders and pushed her back, then struggled hurriedly to his feet. He opened his mouth to order her to leave, until he remembered that he couldn't do that. She hadn't signed the papers yet. But the compulsion to say the words, to tell her to get the hell out, was strong. And he knew that it was coming straight from Clark's head to his. 

"Get out of my head!" Unintentionally, he'd yelled the phrase aloud. 

Danielle backed up a step, then another. "Lex?" 

Lex clenched his fists in frustration. If Clark cost him this takeover... 

... _Don't give a shit about any takeover, just keep your hands off her._... 

... _Clark, I'm going to tell you this once, and you'd better listen, if you don't--_... 

...*Forget it, whatever happens, it's your fault, shit, maybe you _need_ somebody to tell you the difference between right and wrong*... 

And then Clark was gone, the link closed, and Lex couldn't even feel the shadow of Clark's presence that he'd become so used to over the last two days. 

Fuck. Clark had cut him off. Lex felt panic build in his chest, the idea of being alone suddenly abhorrent, terrifying. He reached out with everything in him, and there it was, the tiniest opening, the smallest shadow, and he grabbed, and pulled, and then-- 

... _Hurts, oh, God, it hurts, doesn't love me, he lied to me, wants to fuck her, need him, want him, mine, by God, he's mine._... 

Lex swallowed hard and stared blindly at the woman standing in front of him as Clark's rambling thoughts kept burning through his brain. It was obvious Clark didn't know he'd reopened the link. Hurt, betrayal, pain, and loneliness assailed him, and Lex wished to God that he'd left the damn thing closed. 

Clark's pain became Lex's own, and fuck, it hurt. And he knew then that Clark would never understand some of the things he had done for business, to win. Had planned to continue doing, to a certain extent, because hell, it wasn't like it meant anything. 

Lex had resigned himself to being _mated_ , definitely liked the idea of having a claim over Clark, but hadn't thought it would change him that much, especially not what was left of his life in Metropolis. If he hadn't _wanted_ to be faithful to Clark, he would have already been fucking Danielle. And as long as he didn't actually fuck anyone else, he'd thought that would be enough. But he should have known Clark wouldn't see it like that. 

"Fuck," he muttered and ran his palm over his scalp in frustration. Then louder, to Danielle, "Get out. Just get the hell out." 

Danielle's blue-eyed gaze centered coldly on Lex. "If this is the kind of treatment I can expect, I think it might be best if I reconsider selling my shares to you. I'm sure I can find another interested buyer." 

"I'm sure you will, but they'll never beat my offer." 

She ran her gaze over his body, seeming to measure his worth. "Oh, Lex, you have such a high opinion of yourself. But you might be right. Nevertheless, I have certain expectations, and if you're not prepared to meet them..." 

* * *

Clark sat in his bed, at nearly two a.m., holding his knees pulled up to his chest. He didn't rock, or cry. He brooded. Clark didn't care that it had been business, that Lex had had no intention of sleep with her. Clark could only feel the fury of knowing that Lex had put his hands on someone else, felt arousal for someone else, had his lips pressed, however briefly, to someone else's. 

And he refused to think of what it might have meant earlier that day when he'd lain on Lex's bed, his ass in the air, just waiting for Lex's dick, and Lex had referred to fucking Clark as business. At the time, it hadn't really bothered him, but now, after what had just happened, he had to wonder if that was all he was to Lex, a new partner in some whacked out business arrangement. 

It was enough to make him want to run to the castle and destroy something of Lex's. Right about now, one of Lex's cars would look pretty damn good wrapped around a tree. 

... _Don't you fucking dare, Clark._... 

Clark jumped slightly, startled that Lex was there, in his head, listening, monitoring his thoughts. Two hours ago, he'd slammed shut the mental link between them, and it had been quiet, peaceful, _lonely_ ever since. 

But now... Clark smiled grimly. ... _You're in Metropolis, I can do whatever I want, and you can't stop me._... 

... _Fuck, you're acting too much like me, and I don't like it, revenge doesn't suit you._... 

... _Lex, I just don't understand how you could think it was okay to let her touch you like that._... 

... _I'm sorry, I admit it, it was my fault, I didn't realize--_... 

... _What?_... 

... _That you wouldn't understand._... 

... _I don't, when you love somebody, there are just certain things you don't do._... 

... _Understand now, Clark, don't want to hurt you, you're the only true friend I've ever had, only person I trust, and I'll do anything to protect you, anything._... And Clark knew Lex meant it. 

* * *

Clark didn't sleep well, when he bothered to sleep that night. He'd finally gone out to the barn for a while, looked up at the sky, and wondered if his mother would visit him again after a safe amount of time had passed. He wanted her to, but he didn't. Neither of her previous visits had given him good news, and he didn't think he could handle any more bad news. Clark felt panicky, cut off, and he needed Lex, badly. Not just for sex, although that would have been good right then. He just wanted him near, and Metropolis was nowhere near enough. 

Lex's admission that Clark was the only person he trusted had sat heavy on Clark that night. Clark trusted Lex, had always trusted Lex. Maybe it was time to tell Lex his secrets. He could start out small, easing his confessions into their conversations a little at a time. 

Why was he holding back, anyway? Was it really because he didn't want to burden Lex? Or was he just afraid of what Lex might think of him, when he realized the extent of Clark's differences, when he realized the power Clark had? Already, their bond had allowed Clark to discover just how much Lex valued power, valued being the person holding that power. And now Clark would have to tell Lex that besides being the one with the capability of controlling Lex mentally, he also had the power to control Lex physically. Would Clark's confessions drive Lex away? 

Clark wasn't sure he could accept that risk. Not yet. Not now. 

The next morning, he skipped out of the house before his parents could catch him. 

"Clark!" Chloe's voice reached him from the middle of the bus seconds after he stepped on. Hell, might as well get it over with. There wasn't a whole lot that could happen on a school bus, anyway, he decided. He made his way to where she sat and filled the seat next to her when she scooted over. He kept one leg stretched out in the aisle so he didn't feel quite so much like a sardine stuffed in an aluminum tin. 

Clark got right to the apology, trying to beat Chloe to any mention of that kiss. "Chloe, I know I owe you an apology. I'm sorry that I--" 

"Clark, don't worry about it, you don't know how bad I've wanted you to do something like that." 

"Oh. _Oh_." Clark twisted to look Chloe in the eye for the first time since he'd sat down beside her. "Yeah, but--" 

"And, God, you wouldn't believe how jealous some of the other girls are." 

"But--" 

"And Lana, would you believe she called me last night and told me to back off, that you're hers, but that she just hadn't seen it until now? The nerve--" 

"Chloe, stop!" Clark thought frantically for something that would change the subject. This had been a bad, bad idea. "Where's Pete?" 

"Back there." Chloe threw a pointed look over her shoulder. Clark turned to see Pete in the midst of a group of girls, talking and laughing, and scribbling frantically on small pieces of paper which he then handed off -- in exchange for five dollar bills. 

Clark's brow furrowed. "I don't get it." 

"You will." She tilted her head and gave a haughty sniff. "He's selling lists of your favorite things, like colors, music, places to go on dates--" 

Clark felt his jaw drop. "What?" 

"Really, Clark. You've become very popular very fast. Kind of makes me wonder what's going on. Might be worthy of printing up in the Torch. Or at least a mention on my Wall of Weird." 

Then he realized. What if he was giving off some kind of...of signal to these people now that he was...uh, sexually active? But why? God, he _was_ in heat, had to be. But he'd already chosen his partner. Shouldn't he be giving off _I'm taken_ vibes or something? 

Apparently not. 

"Clark, now that you've kissed me, are you going to ask me out?" 

"I...I can't." He gave her a weak smile that felt a hell of a lot like a grimace. "I...I'm, uh...seeing somebody else." 

Chloe's eyes narrowed. He could see that she was hurt, but covering it quite well with anger. Lots and lots of anger. 

"But you kissed me!" 

And it seemed that everyone on the bus heard, because it got really quiet really fast, and Clark could almost feel the burn of twenty-something sets of eyes on him. "Well, that was before...I...I started seeing this other person." 

Chloe had a book in her hand, and she looked like she was about to throw it at him. "That kiss was just two days ago, Clark. Two days!" 

"I swear, I kissed you before I started seeing this other person. I swear!" 

"Who is it? Is it Lana?" Under her breath, Chloe muttered, "That bitch. I knew she wasn't really my friend." 

"Chloe," he whispered fiercely, "It's not Lana." 

"Then who?" 

"I can't say." 

"Oh, really? Why do I get the feeling it's just because you didn't like kissing me?" 

"That's absolutely not true! You're a very good kisser, great even." 

... _In trouble again already, Clark? What's going on?_... 

"Agh!" ... _Lex, go away! No, no, stay! Chloe wants to know who I'm seeing, she's pissed, big time, tell me what to say._... 

... _Tell her you're seeing someone older who could get in trouble if you told, you'll get a weird look, but it should shut her up._... 

It did. Until English class. 

* * *

"It's her, isn't it?" Chloe's fierce whisper barely qualified as a whisper at all. A couple of other kids around them noticeably began to watch. 

Clark looked sideways at her, giving her a sharp look that he hoped would shut her up. It didn't. 

"It is, isn't it?" 

Clark sighed. "Who?" he whispered back. 

"Her," Chloe said, and jabbed viciously towards Mrs. Evanston, the substitute teacher who was back again today. 

Clark's eyes widened. Horrified, he gasped out, "No! How could you even think...?" 

Suddenly Chloe's eyes got big and round, and she sat up abruptly in her seat, back straight, arms on her desktop, eyes directly in front of her. 

Clark was almost afraid to look to the front. And sure enough, when he did, it was to find Mrs. Evanston staring at him, a small, cool smile curling her lips. 

"Mr. Kent, is there something in particular holding your attention back there? Maybe you should move to the front of the class." 

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. 

"No, no. Come on up. Miss Smith, why don't you exchange seats with Mr. Kent?" 

"But I can't see the--" 

"Now, Miss Smith." 

"Yes, Mrs. Evanston." 

Clark shot Chloe a glower, then gathered his books and moved to the vacated seat at the front of the class. 

By the end of class, Clark was ready to choke Chloe. It was her fault he was up here, right in front of Mrs. Evanston, allowing Mrs. Evanston to brush his knees every time she walked by, which was a _lot_. It was embarrassing -- for both of them. He started anticipating her approach with a heaving stomach and a sweating brow each time she came near. Every so often he would turn to give Chloe another glower, just for good measure, but Chloe's expression kept getting tighter and tighter, until Clark thought she was going to shoot lasers with her eyes. Not that he would've minded, if her target had been Mrs. Evanston. Unfortunately, she seemed to be staring at him instead, her gaze shouting out that he was a liar, that he _was_ seeing Mrs. Evanston -- who was definitely older and would definitely get in trouble if he told anyone they were fooling around, but which they were absolutely not doing! 

...*Lex, thanks _so_ much for your wonderful advice, should've told her the truth, I'm mated to Lex Luthor, that's why I couldn't ask her out on a date.*... 

Lex answered, as if he'd been waiting in the recesses of Clark's mind for him to make first contact. ... _How was I supposed to know that half the fucking school suddenly wants you, including your teachers?_... 

Clark thought it should disturb him that Lex seemed to linger in the back of his mind, just waiting for the opportunity to butt in. Despite Clark's growing belief that the link was centered in his own mind, Lex seemed to have a better handle on using it to monitor Clark. Considering Lex's strong will and mental acuity, it didn't really surprise him. Unfortunately, it didn't even seem to disturb him, making him believe that Lex was _encouraging_ him not to be disturbed. That, or love had made him stupid after all. 

But what did it matter, in the end? Clark knew that just as Lex had to get used to having him in his thoughts, he would have to become accustomed to having Lex around. Too bad, really. As convoluted as Lex's thinking processes were, Clark probably would go crazy if he tried to spy on Lex's thoughts and feelings as much as Lex spied on his. 

Clark blanked his mind, choosing not to answer in any way that Lex could pick up on. The cold shoulder treatment was childish, he knew, but he was still pissed from last night. 

... _I apologized for that Clark, I hope we can get past it, let it go._... 

... _Like hell I will, I'll get past it when I've reminded you that I'm the only person allowed to touch you like that, ever._... 

... _Well, well, well, Clark, sounds like you have a possessive streak._... 

... _Damn right I do, you're mine, too late now to change it, wouldn't if I could._... 

The only answer Clark received to his mental declaration was an unexpected -- and remarkably strong -- surge of satisfaction. 

A few minutes later, the bell rang, and everyone fled English class. Clark tried to catch Chloe, but with a glare over her shoulder at him, she disappeared into the rush of students crowding through the doorway and into the hall. 

"Mr. Kent, if I might have a word with you?" A hand on his arm stopped him from following. 

Clark's teeth clenched in discomfort. "Uh, sure, Mrs. Evanston. I'm, uh, not in some kind of trouble, am I?" 

Her smile was predatory. Clark's eyes widened. _Oh, my, God._ The woman definitely wanted him for something, and Clark was afraid he knew exactly what that something was. 

"Mr. Kent, you aren't in trouble. But if you wouldn't mind staying after school today, I think we need to have a little talk about your behavior in class." 

Clark blinked, then swallowed hard as his stomach heaved. Was it his imagination or were -- Ah, shit, he wasn't imagining anything. Mrs. Evanston's bright blue eyes glowed brilliant green. "I really can't stay today," he said hurriedly, stepping back from her as fast as he could. "I have to help...uh...help my dad on the farm with...with _something_." 

Mrs. Evanston's fingers curled tightly on his arm, the strength of her grip unaccountable for her small stature. Still, Clark shook her hand off his arm easily. She stepped closer, the empty room a testament to the fact that this must be a free period for his regular English teacher. "Clark," she said softly, "Has anyone ever told you how strong you look? How masculine? How attractive?" 

"Mrs. Evanston, I...I would hate to have to report you to the principal, since I'm pretty sure you don't know what you're doing, but if you keep this up, I will." 

Mrs. Evanston lifted the fingers of her right hand to his cheek, and he saw her long-sleeve pull back to reveal a meteor-rock encrusted bracelet. _Oh, shit._ Clark felt his knees get weak as she trailed her fingers along the flesh of his cheek, down to his jawbone, and around to his bottom lip. Clark's breath hitched, his stomach clenched tight in pain, and he stumbled towards her. 

She grabbed him around the middle, stopping his descent to the floor. "Clark, are you not feeling well? We should get you to the school nurse." 

"No, no, that's okay. Let me go. I'll be fine in a minute, I just need to get outside, get some fresh air." He managed to pull back from Mrs. Evanston's embrace, despite her strong hold on him. He backed up quickly until he felt the effects of the meteor rock bracelet fade away. No wonder he had been feeling sick to his stomach when she brushed by him all those times. 

He looked over his shoulder at the door, then back to Mrs. Evanston. "Look, I've got to go before I'm late for my next class." 

"But, Clark--" 

He just about ran from the classroom. 

* * *

Lex paused on his way out of the elevator. The stomach cramps were back, considerably more intense than before, and Lex had no idea what might be the cause. He didn't think he was getting sick -- he never got sick, after all -- but what else could it be? For the past half-hour, he'd been suffering from nausea and the beginnings of what promised to be a powerful migraine. 

Could it be Clark who was sick? Lex thought about it as he strolled down the corridor. By the time he reached his office door, he'd decided that it was. He made his way to his inner office -- still there, despite his relocation to Smallville -- and then sat down in the leather chair behind his bare desk. 

Because of what had happened last night, he had not been able to return to Smallville this morning. In fact, he had a meeting in fifteen minutes, and he wasn't prepared to show up at less than full capacity. 

He rested his head against the back of the chair, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands over his abdomen. Carefully, he eased himself into Clark's thoughts, and within seconds, he'd realized that their strengthening connection was considerably more than just a conduit for thoughts and feelings. And Lex wasn't about to share this information with Clark. 

Not when he might need to use his newfound discovery to keep Clark from stealing what little control he retained from him. 

A few minutes later, Danielle strolled into his office, escorted by the man who'd been hired as Lex's temporary secretary. Her dark-blond hair floated softly around her face. Danielle's demeanor was confident and relaxed, but Lex hoped to see that change before she walked out, preferably without the stock he needed from her. 

He'd had a rough night last night, since Clark's emotions had continually bled through to Lex, and Lex had found it difficult to sleep and even harder to work. Lex felt like he was fighting a losing battle against the urge to return to Clark. Unfortunately, his father had made it abundantly clear that he could not return to Smallville until he had secured that stock. He'd spent a good portion of the night putting into position a backup plan, in the likely event Danielle stonewalled him about those shares. 

She sat down in one of the chairs positioned in front of his desk. "So, Lex, are you ready to meet my demands?" 

Lex ignored Danielle's question as he stared across his desk at the woman who owned the last fifteen percent of stock he needed to complete his father's plans. After a moment of silence, he turned his gaze to his steepled fingers. "You'll be making a big mistake if you don't accept my standing offer for that stock, Danielle." 

"Lex," Danielle drawled, crossing her legs in a blatant display of sensuality. "You know what my price is. Pay up, and the stock is yours." 

He turned his gaze back to her, raising his brows and letting the corner of his mouth twitch up into a ghost of a smile. He knew the look made him appear ruthless. That was the point. "We were just having a little fun, Danielle. You knew I wasn't going to sleep with you, I had already told you that. Why the sudden change of plans?" 

"Because I don't like being thrown out. Last night, when you so _callously_ demanded that I _get the hell out_ , I decided I wanted a small taste of revenge. I don't know why you've suddenly changed your...methods...of persuasion, but I don't like it." 

Lex laughed when he realized what the real issue was for Danielle. "You thought you could change my mind, didn't you? That's what's bothering you now. You failed to get what you wanted so now you're trying to blackmail me into it." Lex stood, then walked around the chair where Danielle sat, until he stood behind her. 

She twisted her neck so she could maintain eye contact. 

"You failed last night," he said. He ran his fingertips along the naked column of Danielle's throat. "And you'll fail today. This is your last chance to change your mind about selling, or I go to my contingency plan." 

* * *

"Clark! Clark!" It was Chloe again, her voice ringing across the open grounds outside the school. 

Clark slowed to let her catch up. It was the first time she'd tried to talk to him since English class that morning. Although, it wasn't all her fault, since he'd deliberately avoided her too by staying away from the Torch's office. Funny, staying away from the Torch office for the last two days had made him realize just how big a part of his life hanging around with Chloe and working on the paper had become. 

Chloe stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked at her, noticing her tongue dart out to moisten her lips. "I wanted to tell you I was sorry for the way I acted this morning," she said. "I don't know what came over me." 

"I do," Clark muttered. 

"What?" 

"Oh...nothing. Hey, what's that?" He pointed to a sheet of paper she held. 

"This is what I wanted to talk to you about. It's about Mrs. Evanston." She waved the paper under his nose, then held it out so he could see it. It was a photocopy of a newspaper article. 

He read the headline aloud, "Charges dropped against teacher accused of sexual harassment." 

"Yeah, and look at this." Chloe pointed to the miniscule photograph. Although the copy was in black and white, it was easy to see that it was Mrs. Evanston. 

"Clark, if she's the person you were talking about when you said you were seeing someone--" 

"Chloe, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not her." 

"But she kept--Oh! Clark, you need to report her." 

Clark sighed and shook his head. "I've got too much other stuff to worry about right now. I can't report her. She didn't really do anything except brush up against my knee a few times." 

... _And put her hands on you, and tell you how attractive you are._... 

... _Lex, don't you ever go away?_... 

... _Not really. You happen to be one of the most intriguing puzzles I've ever come across._... 

... _So now I'm not just business, but a puzzle too. What next?_... 

... _You're also a fine piece of ass, Clark. Don't sell yourself short._... 

...*Shit, that was _not_ nice, Lex, you've ruined my already rotten day.*... 

... _Clark, I'm just trying to make you see how immature you're being. You're not just business, you're not just a puzzle, you're not even just my lover. Aren't you supposed to love me? Why are you making this so difficult?_... 

... _Yeah, you're supposed to love me too. But right now, I don't see it._... 

... _But you feel it. Quit trying to pretend you don't know the truth._... 

"Clark?" 

Chloe's voice brought his attention back to her. Clark ignored Lex, although he could still feel his presence lingering. 

"Where'd you go? You spaced out for a minute there. Are you feeling all right?" 

Clark hefted his backpack onto his shoulder, ready to get out of there. It'd been a long day. He'd turned down five dates, and spent all day avoiding Lana, because he didn't want her to do something they'd both regret if--when this thing ended and he returned to--Oh, hell, who was he kidding? He'd never been normal, and now, he was less normal than ever. "Why does everybody keep asking me that?" 

"Because you just aren't acting like yourself anymore." 

No shit. "Look, Chloe, I've got to get home." 

* * *

Clark was in the barn when he knew, just suddenly _knew_ , that Lex was back at the castle. 

... _Why didn't you tell me you were coming back tonight?_... 

... _You wanted me to leave you alone, now you're complaining?_... 

... _Well, yeah, it's not the same thing, Lex._... 

... _Sure, Clark. I want to see you, I'll come pick you up._... 

... _Not such a good idea. Besides, I can be there faster than you can drive here._... 

... _Confessing your secrets already, Clark?_... 

... _No, just want to see you bad, real bad, want you._... 

... _You do realize your thoughts start rambling when you get horny, don't you?_... 

... _Don't care. I'm on my way._... 

* * *

A mere ten minutes later, Lex was crowded against the mansion's foyer wall with Clark's tongue thrusting into his mouth in a rhythm that intentionally imitated the act of fucking. 

Clark hadn't said a word before he'd grabbed Lex and pushed him up against the wall. Lex hadn't realized how much he needed Clark until he saw him for the first time in twenty-four hours. Lex had smiled, grabbed Clark's head, and pulled his mouth close for a hard kiss. He'd been unprepared, though, for the ferocity of Clark's hunger. Clark had immediately wrested control of the kiss from Lex, and started grinding his dick against Lex's. 

Not that Lex minded. Having Clark's hard body pushed up against his own was so damn hot that Lex wanted nothing more than for Clark to tear off their clothes, push him down on his hands and knees and mount--What the fuck? That thought wasn't coming from him. Couldn't be. Who the hell thought about sex in terms of mounting somebody? 

... _Sorry, I've been wanting to do that since the first night._... If thoughts could sound embarrassed, then Clark's managed it quite well. 

Lex snickered, then laughed outright. He couldn't help himself. "Oh, fuck, Clark. You want to _mount_ me?" 

Clark pulled back, affronted. Lex cleared his throat, and said, "I'm actually surprised you made it here. You can't hide the truth, I know your parents want you to stay away from me." 

Clark's lips turned up in a grin. "Dad's still a little upset." 

"Such a talent for understatement." 

"Lex..." 

"Clark..." 

"I don't want to talk about my parents. We have something else to discuss." 

"No, you have something you want to prove to me." 

Clark's grin faded. "Well, yeah, that too." 

"Clark, I didn't fuck her. I never intended to." 

Clark's hands slid under the hem of Lex's shirt and stroked up Lex's ribs. "You were attracted to her." 

"Beside the point." 

Clark's fingers brushed Lex's nipples. Lex sucked in a harsh breath at the onslaught of fiery sensation. Then Clark tweaked Lex's left nipple hard, and the resultant sensation bordered on pain. "No, that's exactly the point. You let her touch you, and kiss you, and you thought it was okay. It's like you don't realize that you're mine now. I won't share you, Lex." 

"You won't have to. I know how much I hurt you. I don't make the same mistake twice." Rarely, in any case. 

"Maybe, but I think this calls for a little something more than an apology. You know what they say, spare the rod, spoil the child." 

Lex straightened abruptly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? No, don't tell me. I don't want to hear that you're into that kind of shit, because I'm not. I don't enjoy pain. I don't need it in my sex life." 

Clark got a weird look on his face, as if he had no idea what Lex was talking about. "Uh, sure, I was trying to make a joke." 

"A joke?" 

"Yeah, you know, rod...uh...penis, that kind of thing." 

"God, Clark. I hate to destroy your comedic aspirations, but that sucked." 

"Lex?" 

"Yes?" 

"Shut the fuck up." 

Lex raised his eyebrows. "You really are starting to sound like me, aren't you?" 

Clark answered by covering Lex's mouth with his. Lex didn't mind. Clark tasted like he'd been eating apple pie, which he probably had, but it was a good flavor, a flavor that was fast becoming a favorite of Lex's. 

This time, it was obvious Clark wasn't playing. His touch was a little rough, a little out of control, but still, not rough enough to hurt Lex. Clark pulled Lex's groin in tight against his own, and Lex groaned at the feel of their dicks pressing together. 

Lex reached for Clark's ass, then held them together like that as Lex thrust his hips forward. "Get your pants off. I want you." 

And just like that, Clark was naked. 

"Clark...you're going to have to tell me how you do that." 

And Lex was pleasantly surprised when Clark didn't hesitate to answer. "Just like anybody else, only...faster." 

Lex quickly divested himself of his own clothing, then grabbed Clark's hand and pulled him into the nearest room with a sofa. "We _will_ have a talk later about all these secrets you're still hiding from me. But right now, it's time to fuck." Lex intended to push Clark down on the cushions and give him a blowjob he would never forget, but when he put his hands on Clark to push, Clark reached up and gripped his wrists, removing Lex's hands from his chest. 

"No." With that, Clark clasped Lex's hips, turned him around, and then shifted his hold so that he had one arm wrapped around Lex's lower abdomen and one hand pressing into the space between Lex's shoulders. Clark pushed Lex down face first onto the cushions of the sofa. 

... _Oh, fuck. You're going to do it, aren't you?_... 

... _Yeah. I want it so bad._... 

Lex turned his head to the side to keep himself from smothering. He placed his forearms on the seat for leverage and prepared himself to be _mounted_. 

"The stuff, where's it at?" 

"Don't worry about it, just use--" Lex's knees buckled as Clark's support was suddenly gone. And before he had time to utter the curse that immediately came to mind, Clark was back. 

"Got it," Clark said, not even sounding breathless. 

Holy fuck, Lex thought. Just how fast could Clark go? 

Then Lex's thoughts scattered as Clark brushed his fingertips over Lex's asshole. 

... _So tight and hot, and small, I can't believe I didn't hurt you that first time._... "Tell me what to do, Lex. I don't want to hurt you. I want this to feel good for you." 

Lex looked over his shoulder at Clark, giving him a shameless grin. "Oh, it will. Just rub my anus, loosen it up with your fingers, and then stick your dick in and fuck me. That's all there is to it." 

"Sounds very...uh, to the point." 

"It is. Fuck me, Clark. I want you to." 

"I will. But first..." Clark leaned over Lex, his cock snuggled perfectly into the crack of Lex's ass, and scraped his fingers over Lex's nipples. "You like it." 

"Fuck, yes. Of course I--" Lex swallowed a groan. "Shit, do that again." 

So Clark did. He rubbed the flat of his palm over Lex's tightly drawn nipples, and Lex struggled to breathe past the rush of white-hot arousal that shot straight to his dick, making it so hard it ached. 

Clark breathed in Lex's ear, sending goosebumps skittering across Lex's skin. "Lex...?" 

... _Not really time for talking anymore, Clark._... "What now?" 

"Who do you belong to?" 

"Fuck." Lex twisted in Clark's embrace, so he could see Clark's face. 

"Come on, Lex. Tell me." Clark's tone was serious. So was his expression. 

Lex turned away to stare at the cushion in front of his face. Clark's hands moved from Lex's nipples to grip Lex's hips. Clark started to slowly grind himself against Lex's ass, and Lex fought the impulse to push back against Clark's dick, to encourage Clark's pseudo-thrusts, to give in to Clark's demands. 

He wouldn't. He belonged to no one but himself. 

"Do you want me to fuck you, Lex?" Lex felt Clark's hands shift, and suddenly they were holding his ass cheeks apart, letting Clark push his thumbs against the tight opening that clenched at the first touch. Lex buried his face in the sofa cushions, to hide his near whimper. 

Clark's thumbs were slick. At some point when Lex hadn't noticed, Clark had used the lube on himself. Lex felt the slow, relentless push of one of Clark's thumbs into his asshole. 

... _Ah, shit, that's good._... 

... _Feels strange to have my thumb inside you, different than I expected, hot, really hot, and slick and soft inside, and tight, and--Oh God, I'm going to come in a minute if I don't--_... 

"Shit. Fine, I'm yours. Now hurry and fuck me." ... _Want you to come inside me._... 

"You're not ready." 

"Trust me, I'm ready." 

"Well, okay, but tell me if--" 

"Clark, shut the hell up and stick your dick in my ass." 

Clark got quiet, and Lex felt Clark push the head of his dick against Lex's anus, pressing inexorably inward, making Lex grunt as his asshole stretched slowly around Clark's thick cock. 

... _Been wanting to do this again so bad, worth the wait, so good, so hot._... 

... _So damn big, forgot how full it felt, shit, I feel like I'm fucking myself._... And he did. Clark's feelings were suddenly flooding through him, and he could've sworn his dick was in the tight, hot grip of someone's ass. It felt...weird -- but in damn good way. 

"I know...exactly...what you mean," Clark gasped out. He leaned over Lex, stretching to grip the back of the sofa for leverage. He started a slow pump, easing his dick in until it was sunk to its base in Lex's ass. "Just remember...this...the next time you think about...letting someone else put their hands on you. They could never make you feel this good. Never." 

... _Such conceit._... 

... _Deserved, and you know it._... 

... _Yeah, now get down to business, and--oh fuck, yeah, right there._... 

"Mine," Clark muttered over and over in Lex's ear, in time with his easy thrusts against Lex's prostate. 

Lex felt Clark's orgasm building, too fast, so he reached up and grabbed one of Clark's hands and guided it to his dick. "Jerk me off. Come on. Now." 

Clark's wide hand wrapped around Lex's flesh gently, but when Clark pumped into Lex, his grip tightened, and his hand slid up the length of Lex's cock. Lex found himself thrusting his hips forward into Clark's fist and it was mere moments later that he threw his head back and gasped out, "Clark!" And his come spurted onto the front of the sofa, onto the floor, and some of it even splattered onto his belly. 

" _Lex_ , shit, that was--I'm...oh, God, I'm coming too." And Clark's hips jerked forward, pushing Lex hard into the cushions, then Clark groaned as if he were dying from the pleasure. Lex's cock actually twitched again as the rush of Clark's orgasm swept through Lex's gasping, trembling, exhausted body. 

And when it was over, Lex couldn't move, didn't want to, never wanted to again. Clark eased his dick out of Lex's ass, and in his body's weakness, Lex crumpled to his knees, his head and arms still resting on the seat of the sofa, the only thing keeping him from falling flat to the floor. 

... _Fuck, that just keeps getting better._... 

Clark smiled, satisfaction lighting up his face. "Good. You'll never want anyone else." 

...*Never _wanted_ anyone else after I met you, Clark.*... 

Clark's smile turned soft, and he pressed his lips to the back of Lex's neck. ... _Everything's gonna work out, we're still friends, and--_... "I love you." 

... _Yeah, I know._... Lex raised his head from the sofa to look at Clark through heavy-lidded eyes. "Love you too, by the way." 

[end] 


End file.
